Bill S2557-2013

Authorizes the board of trustees of the city university of New York to permit persons sixty years of age or over to take courses given without tuition

Authorizes the board of trustees of the city university of New York to permit persons sixty years of age or over to take courses given without tuition, either for credit, or without examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space available basis, as determined by the president of each institution of the city university, provided that such attendance does not deny course attendance at the city university of New York by an individual who is otherwise qualified; eligible persons shall be limited to nine credit hours of courses for credit per semester without tuition.

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TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing the city university trustees to make courses available for certain persons sixty years of age or over

PURPOSE: This bill will permit the trustees of the City University to allow senior citizens to take courses for credit, on a space-available basis, without charge, at State-operated campuses.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Amends section 6206 of the Education Law to allow a senior to take credit or non-credit courses to a maximum of nine credit hours per semester, on a space available basis, at no charge. Currently, seniors are permitted to audit courses without paying tuition. A senior is defined as a person sixty years of age or older.

EXISTING LAW:

Section 6202 of the Education Law allows seniors to audit, but not take, tuition-free courses.

JUSTIFICATION: In 1974, New York State took a giant step forward by adopting Chapter 1002 of the Laws of 1974 permitting senior citizens to audit courses at the State University without tuition, examination or credit, on a space available basis. On approving that legislation, the Governor noted that, "Education can be a major factor in helping older people maintain their mental alertness, (and} continue active participation in the affairs of their communities. In many instances, however, financial and formal educational barriers have rendered such education opportunities inaccessible."

Although the 1974 law began an important step forward, senior citizens have so far been denied the opportunity to further their education on a for-credit basis. This bill would extend to persons over age 60 the ability to attend courses at no charge at the State University, on a space-available basis, while receiving credit for their course work. This is a logical continuation of our efforts to integrate our elderly collegians fully into the mainstream of academic life. It is now time to make our students over age 60 first-class citizens of the University, entitled not only to the privileges of an auditor, but also the opportunities of full participation in their course work.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: There is no direct fiscal impact, since all attendance would be on a space-available basis.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2557
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 22, 2013
___________

Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing the city
university trustees to make courses available for certain persons
sixty years of age or over
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the
education law, as added by chapter 344 of the laws of 1995, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
local law, rule or regulation, the board of trustees may permit persons
sixty years of age or over to [audit] TAKE courses given therein without
tuition, EITHER FOR CREDIT OR WITHOUT examination, grading or credit
therefor upon a space available basis, as determined by the president of
each such institution, provided that such [audit] attendance does not
deny course attendance at the city university of New York by an individ-
ual who is otherwise qualified under this section. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
PARAGRAPH, PERSONS SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR OVER WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE
STATE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE NOT MORE THAN NINE CREDIT HOURS OF
COURSES FOR CREDIT PER SEMESTER WITHOUT TUITION.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07412-01-3

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